New Blood (The Vampire Diaries - Book 2)

Chapter 10 - Catch Me If You Can

Stefan walked into his bedroom after having a shower.

Rebekah was lying on his bed, reading his journal. Kara was standing by the table, pouring herself a glass of bourbon.

Stefan looked at them, clearing his throat. "I know you were both daggered for a little while, but knocking is still a thing."

"So is writing in your diary, apparently," Rebekah said. Stefan put on his shirt. "I'm just checking for doubts. You can never be too cautious when it comes to love. One minute you're begging me to compel Elena from your mind and the next, I'm up coffin creek with a dagger in my back."

"Right, well, you can read it all you want," Stefan told her. "I'm done with her."

"Until we find the cure, right?" Rebekah asked. Stefan didn't answer. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

"Oh, I know you are," Stefan answered. "I'm ignoring you."

"Look, we're at a bit of disadvantage in this whole race for the Cure," Kara told them. "Team Klaus has Jeremy the Hunter, Team Shane has Bonnie the Witch."

"If you're here to remind me of our last-place status, I'm aware," Stefan replied.

"Actually, I have a plan," Kara said. "The Cure is buried with Silas, that ancient evil guy our brother Kol is afraid of. Shane was so eager to prove his existence that he gave away that he has one of the keys to resurrecting him. His headstone."

"I see," Stefan expressed in understanding. "You wanna steal it."

Kara smiled. "Yes. And then Team Shane will have to join Team Kara and Team Klaus will be left out in the cold where he belongs."

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Stefan, Kara and Rebekah were to Shane's office, searching for Silas' headstone.

"Well, headstone's not here," Stefan said.

"Don't Ripper out on us," Rebekah told him. "We'll find it."

Stefan gave her a look.

"Oh, you're all bottled up," Kara said. "You need a release. Maybe we can find you a voodoo doll or something." She opened a drawer, finding a jar of witch herbs. "Ah, this should do the trick. Exactly what you need." Kara walked up behind Stefan. "The professor's stash of herbs."

"Not interested," Stefan told her.

"What happened to you?" Rebekah asked. "You were so much fun in the '20s."

Stefan turned around. "I was a psychotic killer with no emotions in the 1920s."

"You may have been a killer, but you were far from emotionless, Stefan," Rebekah said, smiling. "You had a blast. I know you remember. The jazz. The booze. Our little table at Gloria's. Don't make me compel it out of you."

"All right, um..." Stefan trailed off. "I guess we had a little bit of fun."

"Thank you," Rebekah told him.

Stefan chuckled, softly.

"So, now that we've established that fun is, in fact, possible," Kara told him. "Maybe you'd like to start having some." She offered Stefan the witch herbs. "Don't worry about the professor. He won't be back anytime soon. I made sure of that."

Stefan sighed, taking the jar of witch herbs.

\/

The witch herbs were burning in an ashtray, smoke rising up from the desk.

Stefan sighed. "So much random crap in here."